Misao CG: Long Time no see! Me alegro que te haya gustado, gracias por tu review!
Carmen: Thank you very much! Hope you like the other stories too! Chapter 03
Hilda didn't dare turn to Sigfried, she knew he would be surprised or really mad, and she didn't know what was worse.
"Princess, may you explain to me about this so-call engagement?" He asked, trying not to get annoyed. Hilda sighed and faced him.
"Well, I... I'm going to marry Lord William next month" She said faster than an eye blink, Hilda didn't want Sigfried to ask too many questions.
"Next month? Oh, right, and now you're going to tell me you're so in love with him, come on, we've known each other for so long that I know exactly that this does not make you happy" Sigfried said, not moving from his place. Hilda stared at him for a second and walked to him, taking his arm.
"We need to get moving, I have to return early today" She said, hooking her slender arm to his and trying to make him follow her, Sigfried hadn't finished yet, but complied. The couple disappeared behind the thick and large wooden door that was the exit from the main part of the castle.
Lord William arrived earlier than expected, and he could spotted in the distance his fiancée with another man going to the main altar, something like escort Hilda was HIS duty, that's why he was this early, William didn't like it and went directly to speak with Royce.
The king greeted him happily and invited him to take a seat, William accepted and thanked a maid for the cup of tea.
"Royce, I'd like to ask you something if you allow me" He said, Royce nodded.
"Who was the man that was escorting Hilda to the altar? I came all this way to do it" William said a little annoyed.
"Oh, you speak about Sigfried, he's my daughter's most reliable guardian, he always goes with her everywhere" He answered, William was not so happy, he thought that Sigfried was DEAD, those weren't good news.
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Hilda was praying already in the frozen altar, her guardian just stared at her with a thoughtful look, Hilda peeked at him once in a while, now that he was back, her thoughts were a mess. One side wanted to remain a single princess more than anything, but the other part, the sensible one, knew that she had to do what she had promised and that it would be the best for her country.
Hilda thanked Odin for giving back her guardians and stood up, Sigfried was waiting for her at the top, when she at last got there, he bombarded her with questions.
"Princess, tell me, who is your betrothed? Is he a good man? Will he take good care of you?" Asked Sigfried, the poor girl just rolled her eyes, she knew this was going to happen knowing Sigfried.
"Oh, please, Sigfried, I don't know, I don't know William that much, my father chose him, so I think he must be good, besides it will be a good alliance for our country and..."
"I don't give a damn about 'a good alliance'! I want you to be conform and happy with this, and excuse me but you don't seem overjoyed" He interrupted her, Hilda stared at him with wide eyes, Sigfried had never spoken to her in that way.
"Sigfried! You don't have any right to tell me what to do! Understood!" She said angrily and hastened her steps, Sigfried stayed rooted in the same place for a while, frowning but then he followed his princess begrudgingly.
The two of them arrived almost at the same time, Hilda didn't even looked at him and went straight to the dinning room, where William and her family were waiting for her.
Sigfried went to his chambers and sat near the window. He was perplex, he never thought he could speak to Hilda in that way, he felt what? Mad? Concerned? Jealous? That could not be! He was just her personal guardian and had no right to decide in her life... although, there was something he didn't like about all this, his own feelings to begin with, and this Lord William... Sigfried would have sworn he had heard about him somewhere.
The rest of the afternoon was tedious for Hilda, she didn't want to receive William's attentions, and was somewhat distant, William noticed it and it just angered him much more, he knew it would be hard to get Hilda's love, that it would be a matter of time, but now that Sigfried was in the middle, he knew he was responsible for his fiancée's changing mood.
"Hilda, would you like go out with me on a walk? I'd like to take some fresh air" William suggested, Hilda sighed and nodded, it was not that she was in any way interested, but she needed to be polite at least.
"Wait, William, sorry but I can't let both of you completely alone before you're married, so I'd suggest you to take Sigfried with you" Royce said, to William's dismay and Hilda's relief. Sigfried was called in a second and when he appeared William looked at him in a very cold way, when Sigfried saw him first, he was surprised and then returned back a colder look if it was possible; Hilda and Royce were oblivious of this and in a moment they had departed to the nearby forest.
Hilda was being led by William with her arm hooked is his, and Sigfried was some steps behind, the young warrior was almost at the verge of killing that William bastard for touching his princess, and William was feeling the same way for Sigfried, and was thinking the best way to get rid off of him... permanently.
Both men could melt all the snow around them with the heated way they were glaring at each other while Hilda was recollecting some flowers for Fler. Hilda didn't notice the strange silence in the air, nor did she notice the two men who were going to pounce at each other's throat in any moment soon.
"Ok, I'm finished, sorry, William, but I'd like to go back, I'm a little tired" Hilda said, wishing to run to her bedroom and hide in there for the rest of the evening.
"But, my dear, it's still early, we could walk a little more" William answered.
"Haven't you heard, the princess wants to come back, so let her be" Sigfried told him, in an almost rude way, well it sounded rude to Hilda's ears, but for once she thanked Sigfried's intervention.
"I did not ask you so don't you dare intervene" William retorted, in a very hard voice, Hilda didn't like the way things were developing.
"Gentlemen, please, don't argue for my cause, William, sorry but I do want to go home, I'm tired" Hilda said in a firm voice, Sigfried threw a triumphant look at William, he had won this time. William mumbled something inaudible and nodded. Hilda didn't take his arm because of the flowers she was carrying in her arms.
When they arrived, William said goodbye to Hilda and tried to kiss her lips, but she avoided it and he ended up kissing just her cheek, Sigfried watched this and almost punched William square in the face, but refrained. How he hated that man, if it was within his reach, he would never marry his princess in this life. Sigfried would find a way to get rid of him.
Hilda said goodbye too and entered the castle, followed by her guardian. She went to her sister's chambers and knocked the door.
"Yes?" Fler asked.
"It's me, Hilda, I brought you some flowers" Hilda answered, Fler opened the door and let her in. Hilda gave her the bouquet and sat on the bed, cleaning with the back of her hand the place where William has kissed her, it was an involuntary movement, but she realised it when she had finished erasing any mark.
"Are you ok, sister?" Fler asked, a little worried.
"Uh? Yes, I am, I'm just a little tired that's all. Tell me, where did you go with that poor slave of yours?" Asked Hilda. Fler laughed and sat by her side and started chattering about her and 'the poor slave of hers' also known asHagen.
Sigfried walked from one side to the other like a caged lion, Mime looked at him, worried. Sigfried seemed to be very upset. Alberic peered at him from above the book he was reading.
"Alright, what's the matter? You're making me nervous" Asked Alberic, Sigfried stopped and glared at him.
"The problem is that idiot fiance of hers! I can't stand him! I need to get rid off of him quickly, so if you have any idea tell me" He answered, Mime sighed, he had seen 'the idiot fiance' and didn't like him either, but it was the princess' decision after all.
"Sigfried, you shouldn't intervene, but I agree with you, he IS an idiot" Mime said, trying to cheer him up a little. Sigfried sighed and sat down in one of the armchairs.
Hilda went back to her room, she didn't eat supper, she just wanted to be alone. Her head was a terrible mess. If she couldn't stand a simple kiss on the cheek, how the hell would she bear the wedding night?
Hilda was restless, she laid her head on her soft pillow, closing her eyes for a moment and let her mind and
heart relax. She remember when she was a child, she was happily playing with little Fler and... Sigfried, he was always taking care of her. She remembered the time when she had fallen off from the sled, she had hurt her knee and was crying sat in the cold snow, Sigfried had come running to aid her, he embraced her and made her ride in his back, he took her to the castle were her mother took care of the wound. Sigfried was there when her mother died, he was always there...
Hilda was waken up by her maid, who had brought her a cup of hot milk with honey. Hilda smiled at her.
"You are not yourself lately, my dear, tell old Brigitte what is happening to you" She said tenderly, Hilda put the cup over the night table and brought her hands to her face, hiding it from Brigitte. The old maid embrace her tightly, Hilda couldn't stand it any more and began crying. Brigitte let her take her time.
"I don't want to marry William, I can't stand him touching me" The girl said, still weeping. Brigitte sighed.
"You can't marry someone you don't love, my child" She said, cuddling the sobbing girl in her arms. Hilda nodded.
"I don't know why, but since he came back... I can't stop thinking about him, what's up with me?" Asked Hilda. Brigitte smile, knowing the answer.
"That's something you have to find by yourself, Hilda, I can't help you" She said, Hilda sat and dried up her tears.
"Not fair, I don't know what to do" Hilda said, pouting.
"I suggest you begin with what you feel in your heart when Sigfried is near you, you know how you feel with William, but are you certain about the things Sigfried makes you feel?"
Hilda thought it for a moment, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. If Sigfried kissed her hand, she didn't want to wipe it, she even wanted him to do it again, but she really didn't like when William touched her in any way... But if it was her guardian…
Hilda opened her eyed and blushed, she realised how much she liked him, but she didn't know if he felt the same way. She needed to know. Brigitte smiled at her and kissed her head with a goodnight, Hilda smiled at her too and embrace her.
"Good night and thank you, Brigitte" Hilda said, the woman nodded and got out from her room.